PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIALocated at the base of the super-cool Box Apartments, Box Deli is bold and beautiful. Its strikingly unique interior with large mirrors, an illuminated bar and various lounge areas create an overwhelming sensation of a New York edge. The toilets, it has to be said, are the most amazing loos I have ever seen! In addition to great surroundings, Box Deli also does great cocktails and food. A separate dining area upstairs gives those wanting to escape the bar crowd a cosy spot to enjoy some truly tasty food. There’s a lovely range of starters that focus on flavour and texture with the menu offering just enough variation to keep everyone happy without making decisions too hard.
I loved the garlic tiger prawns and risotto cake, dressed in goji (a type of wild berry) syrup. Other tempting starter items include the daily changing antipasti misto and the calamari fritti served with delicious aioli. Box Deli’s pastas are very popular and available in your choice of spaghetti, penne and fettuccini. They are then smothered in a great range of sauces including a simple smoked salmon with white wine and cream, more-ish meatballs or a delicate white wine sauce with prawns, scallops and snow peas. If you’re after something a little more sophisticated, fear not. Another menu holds a range of chicken, seafood and meat-based dishes such as osso buco Milanese, roasted crisp chicken with soft polenta and red pepper ragout, kangaroo fillet and fish of the day. These dishes are all presented just as stylishly as your surroundings and hold a pretty good level of flavour and freshness. And once you’re done dining, you can enjoy the rest of your evening downstairs sampling Box Deli’s great menu of cocktails and wines.
Karen Bilsby, April 2008
